Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-09-30
A REMEDY FOR LOW PRICES.

prices for cattle and wheat, which
have been and still continue so
low. Speaking of the cattle mar
ket he says: 81 observe by the
market reports that the receipts
OF cattle in Chicago, during the
spring and summer have averaged
about $4,000 per day and the mar
l1et has all the time been "glutted."
The same glut in proportion has
prevailed all over the country, but
with receipts of 5000 per day in
Chicago and the same proportion
elsewhere there would lbe no glut,
but on the contrary a brisk de-
mand and fair prices. This indi-
Gates that there were % per cent
more cattle fattened last winter
than there ought to have been. and
that if every feeder had reduced
his number % per cen. lie would
have saved one-fourth of lis feed,
time and labor, and got more for
the other three-fourths than he did
for the whole. So likewise, If the
men, (whoever they are) that per-
sist in running cattle to Chicago at
the rate of 1900 per day would
just go out and shoot 5000 every
morning and ship the other $4,000
L will guarantee that they would
get more for The 5000 than they
do for the 10000"
Shooting the cattle would be q
quick and easy method of reduc-
ing the surplus, but it would not
be sensible one.
The present condition of the
market enables many thousands
to eat beef that would otherwise
be unable to do so, and this, of
itself is rapidly reducing the sur
plus, and the farmer has only done
right by feeding every hoof that
he could get together and get feed
for. Cattle have brought such
high prices in the past that cattle
raisers have thought more of num-
ber that they have Of quality, and
this has much to do with the pres
ent condition of the market; for
never in the history of our cattle
industry have the poorer classes
of cattle been Disseminated
againstso mercilessly. The only
thing that farmers can do is tc
continue to feed and ship and LEI
the poor people have an oportuni
!, ty to eat cheap beef till the great
surplus is reduced, and in the
mean time turn their attenti CT
more to quality of cattle rather
than the number produced. 1t il
the men who havo scrub cattle
who have been the great sufferers
during the present depression.
Though corn has been high ant
. beef cheap, yet we do not know O
, a single instance where the finel
grades of cattle have failed tt
yield a return that covers cost O
production and a small profit il
addition. It would not be neces
sary to reduce the number at all tc
get better prices, if the qualit!
was better all aronnd. The cor
respondent gives the same advice
in regard to wheat surplus. H'
says: "Let the land lay idle" Bu
the land will not lay idle. Every
) thing in nature has it's time fo:
rest. Even in tropical countries
3 where flowers are ever blooming
4 there is time each year whel
l growth ceases and rest and recu
peration take place. So it is will
our mother earth, it has time fo
g rest and this being finished it will
: produce. If not a crop of grain o
|. grass, then, weeds. Which is tn
better, crop of grain that vii
l give the world cheap bread or {
I crop of weeds that can do nothinl
but injure the land? The farme
e should have certain amount O
rest and if he cannot handle tn
i cattle that he has to an advantage
d or cultivate the land that he pos
y sesses, and make every acre pro
s duce something beside weeds
: then he should sell the cattle an
: dispose of part of his land. Far
: mers have done right in produc
: ing all the cattle and grain posi-